The game of tic-tac-toe and its many variations has been enjoyed by children and adults through many generations. Countless number of hours have been spent playing the game at home, at schools during recess hours and while traveling in a car during extended trips. The game has been played using a variety of different objects ranging from sticks in sand, chalk on sidewalks, pencil and paper and recessed boards with movable objects. Handheld computerized versions of the game are now available.
Other variations in playing the game of tic-tac-toe include games wherein the "X's" and "O's" are included on movable objects within a frame boundary. The player simply taps one edge of the member within the frame to expose either the X or the O. For example, Pat. No. 2,628,838, Feb. 17, 1953 to Smalley discloses a rotary block game apparatus wherein rotatable, triangularly shaped blocks are contained within a frame member. The three-sided blocks rotate about an axle projecting from a triangularly shaped hole in a side of the blocks. The facings of the sides of the blocks have different displays corresponding to either an X, an O, a neutral display or other variations of designs depending upon which game is chosen to be played. A player taps the side of the block to cause the block to rotate to the desired display.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,599,977, issued Aug. 17, 1971, discloses a similar game apparatus, more familiarly known by its trademark "Toss Across," wherein triangularly shaped members are contained within a frame. The triangularly-shaped members also have three sides, each of which has either an X, an O, or a neutral position. A player throws a "bean-bag" projectile at the neutral position in order to cause the triangularly shaped member to rotate to the X or the O position. The triangularly shaped block has a detent means which prevents the triangularly shaped block from rotating more than 240.degree. around the axis of rotation. A pin extends laterally outwardly from one of the side walls of the triangularly shaped member to prevent the movement of the block through the arc greater than 240 .degree..
U.S. Pat. No. 3,410,011, issued Nov. 12, 1968 to Bowman discloses a display unit which includes a frame carrying an array of perpendicularly disposed display elements. The display elements are mounted in the frame so as to rotate about a number of different display positions. The displays are retained in the display position by a detenting means carried by a rear wall of the frame. The display elements rotate about an axis and are fixed into the display position by the detenting means which is typically a resiliently deformable material located behind the display element and which engages the corners of the elements. Bowman further discloses a detenting means wherein a backing plate of rigid plastic engages tabs provided on the display elements.
Each of the above related art references, however, is limited in that only one variation of a game can be played and the game can only be played from one side, the top side of the game. It is also possible in each of the above references that pieces of the games, such as the bean-bag projectiles, become lost, the detenting means become dislodged from the frame member or the display elements become dislodged from the frame member so that the game is useless. The games are also not small enough or transportable enough to be played within the interior of an automobile or the like.
It will thus be appreciated that there is yet a need for a self-contained game apparatus with rotatable display elements contained within a frame member wherein the rotatable elements rotate 360.degree. through an axis of rotation so that many variations of games can be played without a player losing interest. The display elements are visually perceptible from either the top side or the bottom side of the frame element and contain displays of indicia and detenting means which allow the display elements to be rotated into a display position and secured there while the game is played. When the game is finished, the frame member is simply turned over to display a neutral side so that a new game can be played. The game is transportable in that there are no loose pieces and the displays are easily changed. The game is economical to produce and is capable of withstanding years of playing.